Post by jeanne on Mar 26, 2018 1:27:28 GMT 1

Usually I prefer the older churches, but since this modern one is near the beach, I like the shell-motif of the baptismal and holy water fonts! (I'm not sure they are canonically correct, but I still like them...I'll have to research that issue and report back.)

Post by jeanne on Mar 26, 2018 22:06:53 GMT 1

I did research whether this type of baptismal font is canonically correct in the Catholic Church. The information I found was published by the Diocese of Saginaw Michigan in the U.S. in one of their Little Black Bookswhich are widely distributed during Lent. I have no idea if this applies only to the U.S., or the entire Church:

A baptismal font may be designed in five different shapes:

- Round: A popular shape for fonts, symbolizing the womb and baptism as new birth.

- Cruciform: A reminder of Christ's cross and its implications of suffering, dying and rising to new life.

- Rectangle: This shape symbolizes the tomb of Christ, proclaiming the death and resurrection of Christ and the triumph over death by those who are baptized. The earliest Christian fonts were tomb-shaped.

- Hexagon: This shape symbolizes the day of Christ's death, the sixth day of the Jewish week (Friday). The shape appears in medieval art, and most American adults were baptized as children in hexagonal pedestal fonts.*

- Octagon: The number eight symbolizes the "eighth day", i.e. the Resurrection.

*I'm not sure this is correct...I think round fonts were more common during the time now-a-days adults were infants...

...hmmm...no mention of seashells here, though seashell-shaped "cups" are used to pour the water to baptize in many of the ceremonies.

Post by Bonobo on Mar 29, 2018 17:35:59 GMT 1

I did research whether this type of baptismal font is canonically correct in the Catholic Church. The information I found was published by the Diocese of Saginaw Michigan in the U.S. in one of their Little Black Bookswhich are widely distributed during Lent. I have no idea if this applies only to the U.S., or the entire Church:

There is only one explanation: that shell only looks like an old fashioned font but in reality it is only a decoration.

Post by jeanne on Mar 29, 2018 20:08:40 GMT 1

I did research whether this type of baptismal font is canonically correct in the Catholic Church. The information I found was published by the Diocese of Saginaw Michigan in the U.S. in one of their Little Black Bookswhich are widely distributed during Lent. I have no idea if this applies only to the U.S., or the entire Church:

There is only one explanation: that shell only looks like an old fashioned font but in reality it is only a decoration.

Hmmm...I don't know...it looks like they use it. The Paschal Candle is standing beside it.